Storm Lake, IA · standard
ZIP Code 50588
Buena Vista County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 12,756
- 36/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $70,906
- Median income Near-median income area
- $184,900
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 22.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Storm Lake pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 48th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 39th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 36
- people per sq mi
- 69%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50588 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 50588 (Storm Lake, IA) rose +12.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 210.3 in 2023 to 236.6 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 50588 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Storm Lake, Buena Vista County, Iowa, home to 12,756 residents across 356.3 square miles, a density of 36 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 50588 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $70,906 (7% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $32,895. The poverty rate is 7.7%, with unemployment at 4.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $184,900 (5% above the average Iowa ZIP) and median rent is $897; 69.3% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 32.2, and the average commute is 11 minutes. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Buena Vista County, so 50588 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 50588
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Storm Lake, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50588.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
69 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
34 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
33 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
31 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
29 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 50588, Storm Lake, IA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
12,756
Population
356.3
Area (sq mi)
36
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 50588?
32.2
Median Age
48.8%
Male
51.2%
Female
27.6%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$70,906
Median Household Income
-7% vs state ZIP avg
$32,895
Per Capita Income
7.7%
Poverty Rate
4.0%
Unemployment Rate
10.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 50588 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Storm Lake, IA household income vs. every Iowa ZIP code
Median household income among 911 reporting Iowa ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$70,906 41st percentile higher than 41% of 911 Iowa ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Iowa ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
4,929housing units
4,929
Total Housing Units
4,630
Occupied Units
299
Vacant Units
2.72
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$184,900
Median Home Value
+5% vs state ZIP avg
$897
Median Rent
1969
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+12.5%
YoY Change (2024)
237
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+137%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 50588 have increased 12.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +137% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +0.6% | 170 |
| 2021 | +8.2% | 184 |
| 2022 | +15.7% | 212 |
| 2023 | -1.0% | 210 |
| 2024 | +12.5% | 237 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 339 business establishments in ZIP 50588, employing approximately 7,940 people with a combined annual payroll of $356,730,000.
339
Businesses
7,940
Employees
$356.7M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 69 | 20.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 34 | 10.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 33 | 9.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 31 | 9.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 29 | 8.6% |
| Construction | 26 | 7.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 23 | 6.8% |
| Manufacturing | 20 | 5.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 16 | 4.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 14 | 4.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 12 | 3.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 10 | 3.0% |
| Information | 7 | 2.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 5 | 1.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 4 | 1.2% |
| Educational services | 3 | 0.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 50588 vs 50576 →
ZIP 50588 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50588
Storm Lake (50588)
12,756 residents
- 50576 423
Rembrandt (50576)
423 residents
- 50567 226
Nemaha (50567)
226 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50588 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 50588 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50567
Nemaha (50567)
$78,125 median income
- 50588
Storm Lake (50588)
$70,906 median income
- 50576
Rembrandt (50576)
$67,500 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 50588 ranks #2 of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 50588, both outside IA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (12,756 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Buena Vista County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 50588 in?
ZIP code 50588 (Storm Lake) is located in Buena Vista County, Iowa. Buena Vista County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/buena-vista-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50588?
ZIP code 50588 in Storm Lake, IA has a population of 12,756 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50588?
The median household income in ZIP 50588 is $70,906, which is 7% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50588?
The median home value in ZIP 50588 is $184,900, which is 34% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50588?
The largest racial group in ZIP 50588 is White at 49.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 40.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50588?
ZIP code 50588 has 339 business establishments employing approximately 7,940 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50588?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50588 are: Retail trade (69), Health care and social assistance (34), Accommodation and food services (33). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 50588?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 50588 increased by 12.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 137%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 50588?
In ZIP code 50588, 54.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.3% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 50588?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50588 is 10.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 50588?
In ZIP code 50588, approximately 69.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 30.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50588?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50588 is 7.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 50588's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 50588 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Storm Lake, IA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.